Career incentives lead officials to keep overseas bases open

Evidence

The result of all this, according to the final subcommittee report that Pincus helped author, is that “within the government departments most directly concerned—State and Defense—we found little initiative to reduce or eliminate any of these overseas facilities.” What’s more, for State Department and Pentagon officials, closing a base is hardly a way to boost a career. “It is only to be expected that those in embassies abroad, and also at overseas military facilities, would seek to justify continued operations in their particular areas,” explained the subcommittee report. “Otherwise, they recommend a reduction in their own position.” — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 788